Apparatus and method of inputting fingerprints

Abstract

A fingerprint input apparatus is provided that specifies the cause when a failure in fingerprint reading occurs and then notifies a user of the content of the cause and/or the countermeasure against it. The fingerprint input apparatus comprises a fingerprint sensor ( 1 ) for reading a fingerprint and then outputting fingerprint image data corresponding to the fingerprint, a fingerprint analyzer ( 3 ) for analyzing the quality of a fingerprint image represented by fingerprint image data and creating an evaluation result representing the cause of the quality failure and/or a countermeasure against it when the analysis result indicates a quality failure, and an evaluation result display ( 2 ) for displaying the evaluation result.

1. A fingerprint input apparatus, comprising:
 a fingerprint sensor for reading a fingerprint;  
 a fingerprint analyzer for 
 acquiring a fingerprint image corresponding to said read fingerprint,  
 analyzing the quality of said fingerprint image based on an image quality and/or feature points of said fingerprint image, and  
 generating an evaluation result if a result of said analysis indicates a quality malfunction; and  
 
 an evaluation result display for displaying said evaluation result in a plurality of ways,  
 wherein, 
 if said quality malfunction indicates a first quality malfunction associated with said image quality, said fingerprint analyzer generates a first evaluation result that indicates a cause of said first quality malfunction and/or a countermeasure for said cause of said first quality malfunction as said evaluation result, and  
 if said quality malfunction indicates a second quality malfunction associated with said feature points, said fingerprint analyzer generates a second evaluation result that indicates a cause of said second quality malfunction and/or a countermeasure for said cause of said second quality malfunction as said evaluation result,  
 
 wherein said first quality malfunction includes at least one of 
 a quality malfunction associated with a fingerprint display area of said fingerprint image and  
 a quality malfunction associated with a shape of ridges of said fingerprint image, and  
 
 wherein the quality malfunction associated with the shape of ridges of said fingerprint image includes a continuity malfunction of a ridge of said fingerprint image.  
 
     
     
       2. The fingerprint input apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein said fingerprint analyzer comprises:
 a quality evaluation and processing means for performing the analysis based on the image quality and/or feature points of a fingerprint image represented by said fingerprint image data; and  
 an evaluation result display and processing means for driving said evaluation result display based on said evaluation result.  
 
     
     
       3. The fingerprint input apparatus defined in  claim 2 , wherein said fingerprint sensor comprises a light source and an image pickup device. 
     
     
       4. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 2 , wherein said quality evaluation and processing means performs the analysis based on any one of the density of said fingerprint image, a fingerprint display area indicated by said fingerprint image, the shape of ridges indicated by said fingerprint image, and the position of a spiral shape indicated by said fingerprint image. 
     
     
       5. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of ways for evaluation result display is drawn from the group of light emitting elements for visually displaying said evaluation result, a display panel for visually displaying said evaluation result, and an acoustic device for acoustically displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       6. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of ways for evaluation result display includes a display panel for visually displaying said evaluation result and light emitting elements for visually displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       7. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 6 , wherein said evaluation result display also includes an acoustic device for acoustically displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       8. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein said fingerprint sensor comprises a light source and an image pickup device. 
     
     
       9. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 8 , wherein said fingerprint analyzer performs the analysis based on any one of the density of said fingerprint image, a fingerprint display area indicated by said fingerprint image, the shape of ridges indicated by said fingerprint image, and the position of a spiral shape indicated by said fingerprint image. 
     
     
       10. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 8 , wherein said plurality of ways for evaluation result display is drawn from the group of light emitting elements for visually displaying said evaluation result, a display panel for visually displaying said evaluation result, and an acoustic device for acoustically displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       11. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 8 , wherein said plurality of ways for evaluation result display includes a display panel for visually displaying said evaluation result and light emitting elements for visually displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       12. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 11 , wherein said evaluation result display also includes an acoustic device for acoustically displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       13. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein said fingerprint analyzer performs the analysis based on any one of the density of said fingerprint image, a fingerprint display area indicated by said fingerprint image, the shape of ridges indicated by said fingerprint image, and the position of a spiral shape indicated by said fingerprint image. 
     
     
       14. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of ways for evaluation result display is drawn from the group of light emitting elements for visually displaying said evaluation result, a display panel for visually displaying said evaluation result, and an acoustic device for acoustically displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       15. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of ways for evaluation result display includes a display panel for visually displaying said evaluation result and light emitting elements for visually displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       16. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 15 , wherein said evaluation result display also includes an acoustic device for acoustically displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       17. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of ways for evaluation result display is drawn from the group of light emitting elements for visually displaying said evaluation result, a display panel for visually displaying said evaluation result, and an acoustic device for acoustically displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       18. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of ways for evaluation result display includes a display panel for visually displaying said evaluation result and light emitting elements for visually displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       19. The fingerprint image apparatus defined in  claim 18 , wherein said evaluation result display also includes an acoustic device for acoustically displaying said evaluation result. 
     
     
       20. A fingerprint input method comprising the steps of:
 reading a fingerprint and then outputting fingerprint image data corresponding to said fingerprint;  
 analyzing the quality of a fingerprint image based on an image quality and/or feature points of said fingerprint image, and generating an evaluation result if a result of said analysis indicates a quality malfunction; and  
 displaying said evaluation result in a plurality of ways, wherein, 
 if said quality malfunction indicates a first quality malfunction associated with said image quality, said fingerprint analyzing step generates a first evaluation result that indicates a cause of said first quality malfunction and/or a countermeasure for said cause of said first quality malfunction as said evaluation result, and  
 if said quality malfunction indicates a second quality malfunction associated with said feature points, said fingerprint analyzing step generates a second evaluation result that indicates a cause of said second quality malfunction and/or a countermeasure for said cause of said second quality malfunction as said evaluation result,  
 
 wherein said first quality malfunction includes at least one of 
 a quality malfunction associated with a fingerprint display area of said fingerprint image and  
 a quality malfunction associated with a shape of ridges of said fingerprint image, and  
 
 wherein the quality malfunction associated with the shape of ridges of said fingerprint image includes a continuity malfunction of a ridge of said fingerprint image.